This Floats My (Gravy)Boat

I've long admired the subtle, graceful and alluringly curvaceous lines of the Classic Century dinnerware and service pieces that Crate & Barrel had the good sense to reintroduce a few years back for dishware aficionados everywhere.  http://tinyurl.com/cso6yd  This centerpiece-worthy sauce boat is just one example of the enduring appeal of this collection.

Industrial designer Eva Zeisel originally unveiled Classic Century in 1952.  Zeisel's chosen artforms span from functional dinnerware and furniture to glassware and decorative pottery.  Deemed an "industrial" designer because of the usefulness of her creations, Zeisel has punctuated daily life with fine design since the early 1900s.  Though she's now 102 years old, she's still influencing style in relevant ways.  Mainly, her pieces remind us that functionality and beauty can co-exist, and that simplicity in itself can be quite monumental.

...Amazing how a $47.95 gravy boat from Crate & Barrel sparked all that!...